Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 4.25.42
Ūti· What drives us to actExamining the Basis of Material Attraction
“O mighty-armed, who in this world will not be attracted by your arms, which are just like the bodies of serpents? Actually you relieve the distress of husbandless women like us by your attractive smile and your aggressive mercy. We think that you are traveling on the surface of the earth just to benefit us only.”
What the purport teaches
- The woman praises the man's arms and attractive smile. She sees his presence as relief from her distress.
- The purport explains anātha as meaning one without a husband or protection. The woman's words express her desire for such protection.
- The purport's central conclusion is that so-called love in the material world rests on sexual satisfaction. It asks us to look beneath the flattering language of attraction.
Try this today
Take one quiet minute to examine whether an attraction is centered on your own satisfaction.
Ask yourself
When I feel attracted to someone, what satisfaction am I hoping to receive?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.